Meet the Shepards
by Freeverse
Summary: Commander Shepard has finally agreed to introduce her mother to Liara T'Soni. Too bad Hannah Shepard has some serious misconceptions about aliens... cue hilarity and warm fuzzies.
1. Chapter 1

Liara T'Soni had never seen her lover nervous before. Impossible and/or suicidal mission? That didn't scare Jane Shepard. First sexual encounter with an alien? That _definitely _did not scare Jane Shepard. Defeating the Reapers and saving the galaxy? Again, no sweat.

But introducing her asari girlfriend to Captain Hannah Shepard? That apparently had Jane Shepard pacing up and down the bedroom for twenty minutes.

"Shepard," the Shadow Broker finally spoke. "Are you worried that you mother won't approve of me?"

Jane stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to face Liara. "No, that's not it at all," she reasoned, but Liara's cocked eyebrow clearly meant it wasn't convincing. Sighing, she tried again. "Look, you don't know how my mom is. She… she just wants the best for me, and she can be hard to please."

"So it's because I'm an alien," Liara surmised, nearly kicking herself for not considering the possibility. Humans were so different from asari, and sometimes she forgot this vital fact.

"No!" Jane protested. "It has nothing to do with you."

"But you just implied something about me does not measure up to your mother's standards."

"It's because I'm gay!" the human shouted in exasperation. "Because you're a girl, and I'm gay, and my mother would prefer that I date a man."

"Oh," Liara said simply.

Shepard chuckled, running a hand through her untidy blond hair. "That's probably why I enlisted the first chance I got. She probably thought I was just following in my parents footsteps. But to be honest, I couldn't stand another awkward dinner with one of her Alliance buddies."

"Are relationships between two women frowned upon in your society?" the asari inquired curiously. The humans she met on the Normandy besides Shepard had seemed generally accepting of their romance. And some, like Joker, a little _too_ accepting.

"It's complicated," Jane explained. "Your people are mono-gendered, so it's different. The human race has different sexes, and the majority of humans seem to think we were created that way for a reason. As in, no lady-on-lady lovin'."

"How unfortunate," Liara said, a small smile edging at the corner of her lips. "Some asari might find human males exotic, but I find human females far more attractive."

"Flatterer," Jane teased, then closed the distance between them and delivered a forceful kiss to Liara's open mouth.

"You seem to have enjoyed it," Liara returned, sapphire eyes twinkling.

"Maybe," Shepard admitted and attached her lips to her girlfriend's once more, this time with a renewed fervor. Her hands circled Liara's waist, pulling her closer.

"Shepard," Liara breathed, before returning the kiss.

Commander Shepard couldn't think of anything she'd rather do than take Liara T'Soni right there on her desk, but unfortunately this plan became thwarted when both women heard a polite "ahem" coming from the doorway.

They scurried away from each other, Liara averting her eyes bashfully and Shepard merely straightening her shirt and flashing a wide smile at the older human. "So glad you could make it," Shepard said as if she hadn't just been sucking face with the embarrassed blue alien to her left. "How was the trip?"

Hannah didn't answer. Instead, she fixed her gaze on Liara, who was still doing her best attempt at turning invisible. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, Janey?"

"R-right," Shepard said, and Liara witnessed yet another very un-Shepard trait. Not only was the woman nervous – she was stuttering. By the Goddess, such things had never happened before now. "Mom, this is my… _girlfriend_ Dr. Liara T'Soni. Liara, this is my mother, Captain Hannah Shepard."

"Please, call me Hannah," Mrs. Shepard instructed Liara sweetly, ignoring the unnecessary force her daughter had placed on the word girlfriend. As if the nature of their relationship hadn't been apparent a few minutes ago. "It's a pleasure to meet you, dear."

"Likewise," Liara replied, and realized that even she was stammering. Something about Hannah Shepard was even more imposing than her daughter – if that was even possible. "Shepard has told me so much about you."

"Funny, Janey hasn't really talked about you much," Hannah said with a pointed look to Commander Shepard. "But I suppose she's been too busy saving the galaxy to drop her old mom a line."

Jane paled, and Liara tried to jump to her defense. "Shepard has been busy, and she has accomplished so much already. I'm sure you're very proud of her, Captain Shepard."

"Hannah," she corrected automatically, and then grinned. "And, yes, I'm very proud of my girl. Now only if she'd settle down with a nice – "

"So, Liara told me about this really amazing restaurant in Illium," Shepard quickly interjected. "They have food from all over the galaxy – asari dishes, drell dishes – "

Captain Shepard clearly wasn't impressed. "Do they have steak?"

"Yes, and it's not varren meat either."

"Then let's go," Hannah agreed, much to Shepard's relief. She was already dreading the shuttle ride over, not to mention dinner itself. If Liara still loved her before the night was over, she would consider it no small blessing.


	2. Chapter 2

Shepard, prudent as ever, had made reservations two solar years in advance and had managed to secure the best table in the restaurant. No doubt it was easy when you were the savior of the galaxy, Liara mused as the young asari hostess led them to their spot. Still, she had to admit the commander had good taste – at least when she wasn't busy blowing holes in Reapers.

"Good evening, ladies," said a young drell dressed in a flattering tuxedo. "My name is Goran and I will be your server. Our special tonight is blackened salmon with grilled asparagus and rosemary garlic potatoes. The chef has also prepared Turian spin on gumbo we like to call Dextro Stew. Wouldn't recommend consumption for you ladies, though." A nervous laugh. "Uh, can I start you off with something to drink?"

"I'll have a bottle of your imported Earth red," said Hannah, having already scanned the wine list. "I hope you don't mind, dear."

Shepard humored her mother with a polite smile. "Not at all, Mom. It's my treat." She turned to Liara and murmured, "Same goes for you, Li. Order anything you want."

"I'll stick with water for now," the asari replied. She wasn't much of a drinker, and she felt certain that it would be better to remain stone sober for this event anyway. Liara hadn't been lying when she told Shepard that she preferred solitude to interacting with others when the two had first met, and although her time on the Normandy had provided opportunity to hone her social skills (or lack thereof), she was still petrified of saying the wrong thing and upsetting the human captain.

"And for you, Commander Shepard?" the waiter asked, apparently recognizing the face of the galaxy's most famous citizen. In response to her somewhat quizzical glance, he added, "I'm sorry. It's just that I could spot you from a mile away. Anyone here could. We owe you our lives."

Shepard simply rolled her eyes. Even if she ever got used to the attention she received as both the first human Spectre and the savior of the galaxy, Jane Shepard would still prefer anonymity to the pressure of living up to other people's idealized notions of 'Commander Shepard'. She could already tell that she was not exactly what Goran expected – perhaps he had assumed she was more attractive in real life. That damned Alliance poster had really pissed her off – prime example of what humanity had to offer and her image still had to be airbrushed and manipulated? Screw that!

"Commander?"

She blinked, pulling away from her thoughts to order an "extra dry martini, straight up – and no olive."

He began to select the order, but paused in momentary confusion. That wasn't exactly a martini, at least not according to the bartending manual on his omnitool. "Um… so you want vodka in a martini glass?"

Shepard looked to her mother, who was already sizing up Liara from head fronds to high heels. She could already see the captain-like calculations Hannah Shepard was making in her head. The inner monologue probably sounded like, "Pros: slim, quite beautiful, clearly intelligent, bit shy. Cons: alien, female, extremely young. Relationship success probability? Less than thirty-four percent. Proceed to aggressive embarrass my daughter maneuvers."

Her eyes then flicked to Liara who, although oblivious to the wicked things Hannah Shepard had in store for her, was taking nervous sips from her water glass.

And despite this clearly tense tableau, that damn waiter kept staring at her with expectant, unblinking black eyes. Shepard met his gaze and said, in her commanding officer tone, "That's right. In fact, make that two." She then cradled her face in her hands as soon as Hannah Shepard started asking about the quality of the steak. "I'm definitely gonna need it."

"It's so hard to come by good beef in space, and I should know, having spent my whole life moving from space station to space station." The waiter did his best to appear interested. He would prefer hearing one of Shepard's stories. There were so many exciting ones. Was this woman Shepard's relative? They didn't look similar, but something about that overbearing personality… "So, it's beef, but is it free range? Did it come from another planet? How long ago was it flown-in?"

"About those drinks," Shepard uttered impatiently, snatching the menu from her mother's hands.

Goran took the hint and swiftly disappeared back into the kitchen, eager to escape before he witnessed another moment of the great Commander Shepard cowed by some old lady. He couldn't wait to tell the staff about _this _new development.

Meanwhile, Hannah turned to her daughter with a frown cut deeply between her dark brows. "Was that really necessary?"

"We're in Illium," Shepard snapped back, "so I highly doubt they carry Omaha steaks."

"Well excuse me for inquiring about the quality of this establishment's beef," Hannah shot back. "Honestly, I don't know why you're acting this way. We just got here, and I haven't done anything." An appeal to Liara. "Do you see what I have to put up with?"

Shepard knew better than to argue the point, so she took a deep breath and forced a smile. "You're right, Mom. I'm sorry. Why don't you ask him again when he comes back?"

Liara found her lover's hand under the table and gave it a sympathetic squeeze. Though she would have never talked to Benezia in quite that manner (perhaps Matriarch carried more weight than Captain), she understood what it was like to live under your mother's shadow. Yet Liara could tell that Hannah's opinion was important to Shepard even if they did not agree, and that Hannah was proud of and loved her daughter. It was really unfortunate that both women proved too stubborn to realize these simple facts, the asari mused silently.

Goran returned with the drinks, providing a welcome distraction from the awkward silence that hung around the table. He presented Shepard with her beverages first, and the Spectre unceremoniously took a large gulp from the first martini. Hannah's wine was next, and she also took an eager swig.

"Would you like to try some, dear?" Captain Shepard asked, eying Liara's glass.

The asari hesitated, not sure of the appropriate response. From what she knew of human culture, it was acceptable to decline an offer – respectfully, of course. But Hannah Shepard proved a peculiarity, more forceful than even her famously assertive daughter. Perhaps it would be better to receive the offer, even if she still had no intention of drinking it.

The waiter kept the bottle hovering near Liara's empty wineglass. Captain Shepard decided to make Liara's decision for her and nodded, instructing Goran to pour some for the lovely asari as well.

"T-thank you," she mumbled anxiously.

"I thought you should at least try it," Hannah replied. "Now then, are we ready to order?"

Shepard requested the salmon while Liara ordered a traditional asari dish (she was not particularly fond of human cuisine – except for their desserts). After another argument over the beef's origin, Hannah concluded she still wanted the steak, mainly because her daughter was glaring daggers at her from across the table.

Hannah took another moment to savor the wine before posing her next question. "How did you and Liara meet, Janey?"

Shepard met Liara's eyes and she smiled warmly. "Liara served with me on the first Normandy. She's a scientist and an expert on Prothean culture. Without her, I would have never been able to interpret the visions I received from the Prothean beacon. I owe her my life."

The asari opened her mouth to remark that it was, as always, Shepard to whom she owed her life. Not only did the human rescue her from the energy field on Therum, but she also ensure the continued survival of the entire galaxy.

"That's hardly romantic," Hannah chuckled before Liara had a chance to get a word in edgewise. "I meant to ask how the two of you become involved _after_ the missions. Your father and I worked together for years, but that's not how we 'met,' if you catch my drift."

"Mom!" Shepard exclaimed, completely horrified by the insinuation.

"Your father was something else. He used to do these things with an omni tool that would drive me – "

"MOM!"

"Did you know that you were conceived in a Krogan bunker?" Shepard choked on the rest of her martini. "Bastards put up quite a fight, and your father always loved a good fight. Got him all hot and bothered."

Liara gave Shepard a sidelong glance. "Is that where you get it from?"

Shepard, face uncharacteristically beet red, had since moved on to her second martini and could not reply, leaving the perfect opportunity for Hannah Shepard to launch into specifics.

"So there we were, in enemy territory, hiding behind a bunch of crates and making out like a pair of crazed teenagers. I always thought your father had a nice little behind, but I never would have gone for him before that moment. He was always too nice – such a Boy Scout. Well, after an hour and a half, he sure as hell changed my mind."

"Could your husband not make it?" Liara inquired, trying to keep her face from flushing.

"My husband is dead," Hannah replied.

"Oh, I'm so sorry – ."

"It's all right, Li," Shepard said after another helping of booze. "You didn't know. I never told you about my dad. He was a pilot, and he died when I was very young."

"Did my Janey ever tell you about the mission on Akuze?" Hannah asked Liara suddenly.

"Mom, please, let's not talk about that," Shepard insisted. "That has nothing to do with Dad."

"Of course it does," she objected. "It has everything to do with your father. It's a tragic story, really. But unlike your father's, my baby got a happy ending. She survived. And do you know why she was the only one who made it out of there alive?" Liara didn't try to guess, and Hannah hadn't waited for a reply. "Because she followed the one golden rule I always taught her. And what's that, honey?"

"Survival comes first," Shepard muttered, tipping back her martini glass in a vain attempt at consuming more vodka. As the liquor warmed her throat, Jane attempted to bury the memories of the Thresher Maw decimating her squad, tried to block out the echoes of their screams, tried to keep rationalizing why she had ran away like a coward, not bothering to even try to save them. Even if she knew she couldn't have saved them, that fact didn't do anything to hinder the notion that Shepard could have at least tried.

"That's right," said Hannah warmly despite the morbid turn of conversation. "That's why your father died. He had to be a reckless hero, and he got killed. And nothing was accomplished from him becoming a martyr, now was it?"

"Mom."

Of course, Hannah pretended as if she hadn't heard Shepard's inferred plea. "Janey's father was stationed on one of Earth's colonies, a new one, a few planets away from the border of the Terminus system. His ship wasn't even supposed to be there – he had to stop en route to the Citadel to refuel and fix some issues in the engine core. But problem started once those damn aliens – "

A pause, when she remembered the Liara was in fact one of those aliens. "Don't misunderstand me, Liara, I have nothing against aliens, but some aliens have a bad reputation. For instance, the Batarians. And at this particularly point in the story, the Batarians decided to do what Batarians did best. Of course, your father being your father, he decided to defend the colony with little more than a handful of grenades and a few ill-equipped Alliance soldiers. He was a pilot for Christ's sake! He didn't have combat training." Her eyes, which had been sparkling with pride and whatever vibrant energy that Shepard clan apparently possessed, suddenly looked very sad and very old. "I don't have to tell you how badly that ended."

Sometime during her mother's monologue Shepard had flagged down their waiter and received her third martini of the night. Liara peered down at her own untouched drink and chose to finally lift the glass to her lips. This was painful even for her; she couldn't imagine how Shepard was feeling.

"At least he died," Shepard hissed after a long pause, "instead of becoming a Batarian slave."

Goddess, the air was tenser than the Normandy SR-2 whenever Miranda and Jack were forced to occupy the same space. Liara shifted uncomfortably in her chair and decided that perhaps it was time to provide Shepard a chance to be alone with her mother.

"Excuse me," she murmured, "I, uh, must visit the ladies room."

Shepard rose with Liara, but she shook her head, her eyes clearly stating, "Stay here." With an awkward cough, Shepard sat back down. "Of course, honey. Maybe if we're lucky our food will come by the time you come back."

Liara could only hope.


End file.
